February 2022
Cumulative Record. Chapter 6: The Design of Experimental Communities. Quote 10
Asked to describe a world in which he would like to live, a man will often refer directly to reinforcing conditions—freedom from aversive stimulation and an abundance of positive reinforcers—but he then finds himself unprepared for many paradoxes, such as the often encountered unhappiness of those “who have everything” or, in that other field of […]
Cumulative Record. Chapter 6: The Design of Experimental Communities. Quote 6
It is a basic principle that behavior which is followed by certain kinds of consequences is more likely to occur again, but reinforcements may be contingent on behavior in many subtle and complex ways, and extensive technological knowledge is needed to use the principle effectively in all its ramifications. (p. 62)
Cumulative Record. Chapter 6: The Design of Experimental Communities. Quote 3
Extensive use of punishment will cost a community some of its members. It may also lead to counterattack—as in revolution or religious reformation—or to stubborn resistance to all forms of control. These are familiar, predictable reactions upon which an experimental analysis of behavior throws considerable light. (p. 61)
Cumulative Record. Chapter 6: The Design of Experimental Communities. Quote 2
The principles derived from an experimental analysis of behavior offer the designer [of an experimental community] considerable help in setting up an environment under which behavior which will contribute to the success of the community may be generated. (pp. 61-62)
Cumulative Record. Chapter 5: “Man”. Quote 17
The hard fact is that the culture which most readily acknowledges the validity of a scientific analysis is most likely to be successful in the competition between cultures which, whether we like it or not, will decide all such issues with finality. (p. 57)